Life's Little Pleasures
by alder3049
Summary: Grady's angry, Sophie just wants to be a teenager, and who knew Keefe could dance like that? Fitz is devastated, Biana's trying love for the first time, and Dex is just along for the ride...Cue the makeups, the breakups, and the kissing in the rain. Pairings may change, genres may change. Fairly A/U. WARNING MAY DIE FROM FLUFF OVERDOSE.
1. Fight

**So, I got this idea late tonight and just HAD to put it down. It might be abandoned, it might be thirty chapters… who knows?**

"HOW COULD YOU? How could you, Sophie Elizabeth Foster?"

Grady stood, pacing on Sophie's flower-petal carpet, squashing the pale pink blossoms.

"You…you went out with that…that _boy,_ and now…now you want to STAY WITH HIM?"

His face was red from yelling. Sophie wanted to hide forever.

"Dad…" The word felt unusual in her mouth, wrong for the situation.

"Dad, it's nothing! Why can't you understand? I'm seventeen, I've dated for years now, why can't you just APPRICIATE that this is MY life, and…I'm not your daughter, anyways! I'm not Jolie! You can't hide me away. I'm not going to _go_ anywhere! This is my life, and…and I just want you to get out of it!"

She was breathing hard, fists clenched. His face was stricken. "Sophie, I'm your father, I want the best for you…"

Now she was the angry one.

"No! One night! We didn't even do anything, and he's number three on my list, and why can't you… why can't you just _understand_ for once! I'm not twelve anymore, the Neverseen aren't going to steal me away forever. Fitz is over, the Vackers are over, Keefe isn't a part of the Neverseen anymore, and this isn't what it seems…"

Tears were overflowing her eyes now, pouring down her face and splashing off her pale pink dress.

"It was a ball at Foxfire, what did you think was going to happen, we were at school, for goodness' sake!"

Grady smiled, but it was sad. "Sophie, I just don't want you to grow up too fast. You know how I feel about him, and I thought…Fitz was just…"

Sophie scowled.

"No, Fitz wasn't anything. He came from a good family, his parents are in the Nobility. Is that all you care about? Not love, or soulmates, or happy endings? What are you going to do next, scream at Kesler and Juline? Or will Edaline be good enough?"

Grady gasped. "Sophie, don't you dare…"

They could hear Edaline from downstairs.

"Sophie, Keefe's here, he was wondering where you went…"

Sophie brushed past her adopted father. "Sorry, but I have a dirty, tainted, _Neverseen_ boyfriend to deal with, if you please…"

 **Ok, I seriously don't know where this is going. But the ships are…dundundada, Foster-Keefe to the rescue! (Cue the** ** _Pirates of the Carribean_** **music), Linh and Fitz, and Diana. Maybe Sophitz in later chapters? Like I said, this was just a little drabble I came up with that I'm trying to build a story out of. Please comment your ideas! I'll try to update as often as possible. Just know, there's going to be makeups, breakups, and a fair share of kissing…yes, I know there was a little bit of suggestiveness there, but that won't be continued. I promise no one will get pregnant!**

 **Xoxo**

 **Alder3049**

 **P.S.—Reviews, anybody?**


	2. Best Friends

**Ok, so here's chapter 2! Let's see where this goes… (And between you and me, Foster-Keefe would never make it as a couple. But Sophitz wouldn't be so up and down. And hey, it might be a Sophitz fanfic after all. No one knows...not even me. (: ).**

The night air stung Sophie's skin, almost as much as Grady's words had. Keefe had long left, kissing her goodbye softly, and now the giddy happiness of the night had turned into what it always did when she closed her eyes…terror, torture, pain. So she was out here by the Cliffside gate, watching the sun's pink tinge on the clouds.

 _Keefe, watching his mother be taken by ogres._

 _Dex, being gagged and bound by the Neverseen._

 _Fitz, being stabbed by a giant bug._

 _Alden, broken._

Was she only good at giving pain?

Were the Lost Cities really safe?

Who was she?

Words entered her mind, tainted by the smooth accent that she, at the moment, hated.

 _Sophie. Are you still awake?_

 _Yes, Fitz. And I told you, it's over._

 _I know. That's not why I'm here. Or, here in your mind._

 _Then why—_

 _Really? Keefe?_

 _That's private, Fitz!_

 _Yeah, making out in Foxfire corridors is really_ _private. Biana saw you, by the way. And Marella Redek. And Tam Song. And maybe Jensi too, I don't know for sure on that one. Maybe even Councillor Bronte. He was there at the time. And rumors about you dating him have spread like Everblaze._

 _Aughhh, you're not being helpful. Can you please just leave?_

 _Fine. But, really, what does Grady think? Sophie—_

 _Goodbye, Fitz._

She rested her head on her arms, letting the wind swirl her hair around her shoulders until she heard crackling in the bushes.

"Seriously? Why is _everyone_ I know awake at four a.m.?"

Dex stumbled out by Calla's tree. "Sorry, Sophie. I didn't know you were here. I just thought—it's the…the…"

She smiled. "It's the anniversary of us being taken, isn't it?"

He nodded sheepishly. "Yeah. And sometimes, it's just hard…"

She patted the ground beside her, and he sat down, feet dangling into the cliff. "How have you been? I never see you anymore."

She smiled. "Well, we're both in the Golden Tower. You don't see me enough there? Or do you just want to bombard me with questions at midterms?"

He blushed, and she laughed. It was so easy being around Dex…not the overwhelming feeling when she was with Keefe now, the addled thoughts rushing through her brain, or the edginess from Fitz. It was just perfect, like being around a best friend should be.

"I'm fine. And you're…dating Marella, aren't you?"

He blushed again, and mumbled, "No. Biana."

She stared. Wherever she thought Biana would find love, she didn't think it would be with Dex.

"But you're with Sencen now, or is that just a rumor?"

Sophie sighed. "Does _everyone_ know about my love life?"

"No, just the people who caught you in the hallway. And yours truly."

She smiled, and Dex laughed: a bit too loud, completely unselfconscious, completely Dex.

"Well, I should go. Mom and Dad and the triplets will be up soon."

She surprised Dex and herself by wrapping him in a tight hug. "Thank you for coming."

He put his hands on her shoulders gently, not quite sure of himself anymore. "You're welcome. Best friends?"

Sophie studied him as he backed away, locking and then catching moonlight in his pathfinder. She was grinning now, more widely than she had in a while. All traces of Fitz's conversation and her fight with Grady were gone from her mind.

"Best friends."

 **Yay! One more chapter! Well, now I have some ideas, so this might actually go somewhere! And yay again to that!**

 **Xoxo,**

 **Alder3049**

 **P.S.-Did that deserve any reviews?**


	3. Trouble

**Another chapter for y'all! No, I'm not from Texas. I'm Canadian.**

 **Anyway, here you go!**

 **And P.S.-The chapters won't totally line up (as you can see—fight with Grady, talking with Dex), but I have a plan about that. And anyway, don't most chapters do that, anyway? Skip to the important parts? Well…maybe I have a plan…**

"Sophie! _Sophie!_ " Sophie raced through the commons room of the gold tower, trying to put as much distance as she could between herself and Biana, who was running towards her faster than Sophie had thought possible with a huge smile on her face. Halfway up the staircase, Sophie stopped, clutching a stitch in her side.

" _What,_ Biana?" Biana grinned ever wider, and Sophie regretted asking.

"Well, a ton of stuff, actually. First off—I saw you dancing with Keefe at the ball. You guys are such a _cute_ couple! Why aren't you always together?"

Sophie sighed. This was why she had been running from Biana. "Well, a, he's in the silver tower," (Keefe had been held back because of his age, so he was now only a year above Sophie, Biana and Dex.) "B, it would feed the ridiculous rumors about us—Yeah, thanks, by the way," Sophie added, catching the mischievous glint in Biana's eyes. "And c, Grady pretty much hates his guts. But what's with you and Dex?" Sophie finished, solely because Biana had looked like she was about to burst while Sophie was talking.

"Omigosh, you will _not_ believe it," Biana started, following Sophie back down the stairs to an empty desk. "So, he was all angry because Marella dumped him for Jensi"—Sophie articulated the empty air with a gasp like Biana was expecting—"And so he asked me to dance. He's the _worst_ dancer ever. But what about you and Keefe?" She asked, picking up the topic Sophie hated the most at the moment. "What were you _dancing?_ And who knew Keefe could dance like that?" She giggled girlishly, almost knocking over the stack of books Sophie was trying to hide behind.

"I don't know, remember? I learned the salsa and the can-can in gym, not crazy Elvin dances. And I was too busy trying not to die to notice his footwork," she added in a whisper—Keefe had just entered the tower.

"Um…okay," Biana said, not satisfied with Sophie's answer. "But anyway, after we danced, Dex asked me out! Friday, at the restaurant by the water!"

"That's great, Biana," Sophie whispered making herself as small as possible—Keefe, a flash of silver amidst the gold, had found her and was heading her way, a smile on his upturned lips.

"Hi, Sophie." Keefe leaned over and planted a kiss on her lips. Biana exploded into a fit of giggles.

He pulled back, but he looked worried.

"Sophie, come quick."

"What is it?" She could hardly get the words out before he kissed her again, as if to soften the news.

"It's Fitz. Sophie, something's wrong."

 **No, I can't keep it lighthearted forever! And I feel like dying (or almost-dying) would be the perfect opportunity for a new set of romance. Please R &R!**

 **Xoxo,**

 **Alder3049**


	4. Aluvettere

**Ok, I am sooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry about not updating this! It was just, I lost my laptop for a while, and then my wifi went AWOL, and then I lost the will to keep writing, but I hope I can be more consistent in the future. Anyway, here's chapter 4. Btw, for all TRUE fans out there, Sanya is my own character. Other than that, everything is the GODDESS Shannon Messenger's. Also, I couldn't remember if there was a specified crystal for leaping underground, so I used purple. If I was wrong, please PM me and I'll change it. Anyway, enjoy!**

Sophie dashed down the tower stairs, following Keefe's billowing silver robes. Her heart was racing and fractured ideas were spinning around in her head, no thanks to the speed she was running at. Their relationship had been rocky at best lately, but she didn't want him to _die._ What was wrong?

She burst out the tower door, where Magnate Sanya stood, a confused look on her face. Biana shouted, "Sorry, San," back at her as she ran, but Keefe and Sophie didn't pay her attention. There were more important things to worry about.

"What—happened?" Sophie asked, panting as she slowed down. Now that Keefe wasn't playing the role of boyfriend, she could see how pale his face was, the fact that his normally expertly styled hair was a mess, the fear in his sky-blue eyes. A splatter of freckles stood out against his nose, details she hadn't before realized. He shook his head. "Don't—know. He was in Exile, but Alden won't say anything. He's not—Bullhorn's curled up next to him, and he won't move."

Sophie gasped, and Keefe took her hand. "They're at Aluvettere—seemed like a safe place to stay for now. Dex's mom gave me a leaping crystal." He held the purple crystal up to the light—purple for underground. Sophie gripped Biana's hand, and they disappeared into the violet light.

 **Ok, I'm sorry it's short and that nothing really happened, but I updated it on the school computers at lunch and had basically no time. Just wanted to put something more on this story. I'll update more soon, I promise!**

 **Xoxo,**

 **Alder3049**


	5. You're What I Always Wanted

**Why, hello there, earthlings! Not that I want to discriminate aliens, since technically we are aliens too…(hey, we're life forms on a planet, too, aren't we?)…but I doubt they would have computers and/or be interested in my KOTLC drabbles. Which brings me to…THANK YOU FOR YOUR REVIEWS, FAVORITES, AND FOLLOWS! I left this site a few weeks ago with maybe 3ish reviews, 1 favorite and follow each? And I come back with so many more! So keep it up, people, cuz this story isn't even started. Hey, there's my pep talk for today, and it's still only 8:46 a.m. on a Sunday and I haven't gotten out of bed yet. But…dundundada! Here's chapter 5, and I promise it'll be more interesting and MUCH longer. THAT I can promise.**

Sophie stepped out of Keefe's crystal into the watery green light of Aluvettere, silently cursing herself. This wouldn't have happened if she had just stayed with Fitz, right? And she wouldn't have had to endure the light leap, where she had to rely on Keefe's energy and let herself worry for the three of them.

Linh came racing out as they appeared, wearing the purple robes of Ambi. She had recently come back to Exillium as a teacher after completing Foxfire levels to Eight. Sophie noticed that her eyes were large with fright and red with crying.

"Through here," Linh said, her voice holding back tears. "And be very, very quiet. He's trying to sleep."

They followed her through Aluvettere's wavy, maze-like tunnels, trying not to trip on the boxes of salves and elixers scattered through the boys' old common room. She finally brought them to Fitz's old bedroom, the one farthest away from any possible action.

"He said he wanted to see Biana first. I think he knew you would come." She opened the door, and Biana dashed through with a flicker of gold robes. Sophie and Keefe waited, listening to Biana and Fitz's low voices, mind-numbingly silent, until the door opened again. Biana stepped out. "He wants to tell you something, Keefe." Keefe left Sophie, walking silently through the door and closing it with a snap. Linh sat down on the shiny hardwood floor then, wrapping her arms around her knees and burying her head. For a fleeting moment, Sophie saw Tam comfort her, but he retreated to the shadows when she brushed him away. It was like a hospital room, them each waiting for their turn.

They could hear whispered voices, and then Keefe yell, "Don't tell me what to do, Vacker!", but the hallway was eerily silent. Linh and Tam left to go out, and darkness had fallen by the time Keefe opened the door. "Sophie. He wants to see you."

She flew in, not minding the mess of bottles and clothes, landing neatly on the bed. Fitz's eyes were closed, but he opened them when he saw her.

"Sophie."

His voice was low and raspy, not like she was used to.

"Fitz. I'm here."

His symptoms seemed endless. His skin was pale and green-tinged, black dots peppering it like he had been sprinkled with raven feathers. His teal eyes were pale and bloodshot, his lips chapped, a black welt spreading over the back of his hand and again over the side of his neck. His breath came in shallow dips, his heartbeat standing out against his too-thin chest through his shirt. She touched his cheek, the too-hot skin rough at the black patches.

"What happened?"  
He shifted, his eyes fluttering. "I don't know. It started about a week ago. Linh and Keefe thought it would be safest to stay here. He came to get you because it got worse. Biana thought I was still in the Golden tower."

Sophie gulped. "How worse?"

He sighed, closing his eyes. "All the black skin. The fevers. We've tried elixirs for sickness, infection, burns…nothing seems to be working. But Sophie, I need to tell you something. And I know you don't want to hear it, but… it's time."

She needed this. "I know, Fitz."

He looked up, his eyes shining too-bright from fever. "Sophie, I love you. I always did, from when I found you in the human world. You make me laugh. You comfort each of us when we need it. You're incredible, and I never want to let you go. You're better than the high from any elixir. And I know I've been a jerk, a risibly horrible jerk. I never know when to let go, when to give you your own space. I've been horrible to Keefe, too, and it's neither of your faults. And I guess I kind of understand if you need to be with him after all this, like Biana needs Dex. You're what I always wanted. But, Sophie, at least for the time being…will you love me again?"

She was crying now, hot tears dripping onto his face as she leaned in to kiss him. "I'll always love you Fitz. Always. And I love Keefe, and I love you…is it too complicated to say yes? Because I can't say no, I never could, and it's always too much…just stay, Fitz, stay forever, please. I don't want to plant your Wanderling. I don't ever want to."

Tears were coming faster now, a storm of hot water, and everything seemed perfect and all right, and Fitz was hers again. She didn't care what Keefe was going to say, she didn't care about whispers at school. Fitz was hers again, with his comforting smile and his black hair and caring teal eyes and his irresistible accent. She didn't care what they were hearing outside, because everything was perfect inside.

Everything was perfect.

 **Another chapter! Another chapter done! Huzzah! Glory hallelujah! Ok, maybe that's a bit much, but I'm EXCITED! This isn't where I was going with this story, but I'm suddenly OK with that… actually, I think I'm just still on a high from writing such mushy love scenes. But, doesn't everyone see Fitz as being super-romantic? I don't know, I just…maybe I'd better sign off and do something better with my time than create FanFiction. Please review! Please review with ideas! Because I just threw my whole plan off the tracks with this chapter. I'm great like that.**

 **Xoxo,**

 **Alder3049**


	6. -Review Answers-

**Hello, lovely humans! No, this is not an update (Chapter 5 just went up earlier this morning) but I had the time and I figured I'd answer some reviews.**

 **-Thanks so much for your comment! Yea, go Canadians! I'm from BC.**

 **Koko-No, I don't mind at all! and yes, I'll add more SoKeefe. But it'll have to go hand in hand with Sophitz...I'm sorry! :(**

 **Anonymous-Thank you for such a sweet comment! It made my day. Yea, now that I realize it, Linh and Fitz are too perfect..scrap that idea! Oh well.**

 **Real Life Trash-Yea, I kind of am too. ;)**

 **ChickenLuv8-Thank you! But...Fitz is broken? Whaddaya mean by dat?**

 **TEAM SOPHIE-I'm sorry I'm such a newbie, but I don't know what AU or OOC means...i'm sorry! (silently crying) ;)**

 **BlackSwanGirl-Um, both? Yea? Is dat OK?**

 **Glittery-Icecream-I know, and they're so fun to write.**

 **Thank you, everyone for commenting. I didn't answer some, simply because they were like, 'please update soon!' and that's what I did today. Thankyouthankyouthankyou THANK YOU!**

 **Love,**

 **Alder3049**


	7. You Don't Understand

**Why hello there on this glorious Monday morning…what makes it more glorious is that I'm not at school (aren't professional days wonderful?) and instead typing on my laptop, eyeing the mound of exam prep that is growing hugely. NO, YOU WILL NOT GET THE BEST OF ME! And K. Jewel, I don't know why your name won't appear, but the first answer in my comments chapter is for you. Here's chapter six, my fantastical friends!**

Sophie sighed, rubbing her eyes. It was late, very late, and all she wanted to do was leap to Aluvettere… but the Leapmaster was closed for the night, twenty floors above her, and she had this Telepathy homework…although it would be _way_ easier to complete with her Cognate. Absentmindedly, she spun the _Fitzroy Avery Vacker_ ring around her left thumb. If _only…_

Sophie woke a few hours later, face stuck to her textbook. The sun was starting to rise, casting a pink glow across the valley Foxfire was situated in, coming in slanted from the window blinds. She stood and stretched, smoothing down her pale pink skirt. Well, now was better than ever…and Fitz probably wasn't up yet, anyway, so he couldn't tell her off for coming. Decision made, she tightened the ponytail her blonde hair was pulled into, pinched some colour into her cheeks, and threw on a clean black v-neck t-shirt. Then she checked to make sure her roommate, Biana, was still asleep (she most definitely was), pulled the Aluvettere crystal Keefe had given her out of her schoolbag, and slipped on her black hi-top Converse (a memento from the human world). Then she gave one last survey of the room, held up her crystal, and sparkled away.

Sophie arrived softly, touching down in the still-dewy grass of Aluvettere. The morning air was crisp and thick, and she rubbed her arms, whishing for more than a t-shirt. As she made her way down the tunnel-like hallways, gnomes came out, ready to start working outside. Sophie didn't see Linh, but Tam was sitting in the boys' commons, reading. She gave him a little wave, and he nodded.

Fitz _was_ still asleep, so Sophie shut the door with as little _snap_ as possible and sat criss-cross-applesauce on the corner of his bed. She was happy to see that his skin wasn't so pale and sweat-slicked, and when she ran her fingers along his arm, the black marks weren't as rough. He started at her touch.

"Oh, sorry."

"No, it's okay, I was already awake." His voice wasn't as slurred, either. Maybe they had found a cure?

His eyes focused, and he sat up. "Sophie, what—what are you doing here? Don't you have school?"

She shrugged.

"Not until nine. I just…wanted to say hi, 'cause it's been a few days. So—hi. Are you feeling better?"

He rubbed his forehead. "Yeah, I…I guess so. The fever went down. I've actually eaten. What, has Marella not been telling you?"

"Marella? She was here?"

"Um, yeah, almost every day…Sophie, is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong." _She's been here and he hasn't told me about it?_

"It's not what you think…Sophie, look, I still love you. Nothing's changed." His teal eyes searched her face, looking for misgivings.

"I want to make sure, because, Fitz, I can't do this to Keefe…it'll break him. I still haven't told him about…you and me. Again."

"I'm sure he'll understand."

"No, _you_ don't understand! I've given Keefe my heart, and now you come back like some consolation prize. 'Yay, Sophie, I was wrong! Guess what, dump Keefe and come back to me!' I'm not your puppet! I can't keep doing this!"

"You can't just toss me away, Fitz! You've caused me so much pain, and—" This wasn't what she had come for. She needed to get out of here, before she broke someone's heart again. "I'm sorry. I just need to leave."

She almost missed his transmission as she walked out the door, and his words made her stumble.

 _I'll always be here for you, Sophie. You can always trust me._

But could she?

 **Ooh, drama! What's Mysterious Miss F. going to do? Actually, not a rhetorical question. Please comment your ideas!**

 **Love,**

 **Alder3049**


	8. You're Winning The Battles, Not The War

**I'm sitting on my bed watching a fly buzz around and OMG it's driving me nuts. Wait, waitwaitwaitwait, now there's a mosquito…excuse me for a second.**

 **DIE MOSQUITO, DIE!**

 **K, problem solved.**

 **Here's chapter 7!**

Sophie hugged her knees to her chest. _Fitz or Keefe, Fitz or Keefe, Fitz or Keefe…_ It had been two weeks since she had seen Fitz, promising to make up her mind. But….she couldn't. It was just…Keefe was so _Keefe._

 **A/N: Augghh, fly's back. BRB.**

 **Fly's gone forever. Back to fanfiction!**

Sophie glanced over at him, in the silver-and-purple Foxfire tackle bramble jersey. He caught her eye and smiled, and she smiled back. It was a beautiful day after school, and she and Biana were watching Dex and Keefe's practice in Foxfire's school field. Fitz was supposed to be there, too, but…he was busy not-dying. The sun flashed off the 49 on the back of Keefe's jersey, sparkling in the space between them, and Sophie went back to her mental argument.

 _Why do you make this so hard?_

She loved Fitz, but…what if last time happened again? Could she handle that? Instead, she stood up on the metal bleachers, spinning her Cognate rings lazily.

 _Fitz or Keefe or Fitz or Keefe or Fitz or Keefe…_

She had to make up her mind. Keefe it was.

 _But Fitz is your Cognate. What if it breaks that relationship?_

Biana had noticed. "Sophie, what are you doing?" She hissed. "Sit down!"

"It's practice. I'm not blocking anything."

"Still!"

Sophie sat down, hard, and grabbed one of her Foxfire notebooks. No way could she tell Fitz in person.

But practice was over, and the boys were ambling toward them.

"Hey."

Keefe had sat down next to her, holding his helmet.

"What're you doing?"

"Nothing."  
She held the book toward her body, trying to focus.

 _Fitz, I'm sorry, but it's not working._

No, that sounded stupid.

 _I just like Keefe more._

Because that was the way to end a relationship.

 _Just up your game a little._

Now she just sounded like a tackle bramble coach.

 _I've had a lot of time to think while you're healing…_

Well, at least it was a good start.

She opened her book farther, enough to write, and gasped.

 _Sophie Foster._

 _When will you understand?_

 _You're winning the battles, not the war._

 _Are your friends safe with you?_

 _Can you protect them?_

 _Or will you simply watch them burn?_

 _It's your choice._

 _But make a decision soon._

 _Because time is running out._

Under the words was an eye.

But not just any eye.

A wadded-up Neverseen armband.

"What is it?" Keefe asked, grabbing the book. She swallowed while he read it. "We've got to tell Fitz."

He agreed, then grabbed the seemingly-infamous purple crystal.

And they sparked away.

Aluvettere didn't seem to be in pandemonium when they arrived.

"Can we see Fitz?" Sophie asked one of the gnomes, who eyes them nervously. They did make a scene, after all: Dex and Keefe in tackle bramble uniforms, Biana in a long, pink dress, and Sophie still in her dazzlingly golden school uniform. The gnome nodded, and they sprinted through the halls.

"You go in first," Biana urged when they got to his closed door. Sophie nodded still gripping the silver notebook. She pushed open the door, and entered the oh-so-familiar room.

The windows were open, and a pile of sheets were on the dresser, but Fitz was nowhere to be found.

Only his blood.

 **Ooh, what am I gonna do to Fitz? Let's see…kill him, torture him, burn him, drown him, cut his head off…all sorts of fun stuff! But, then again, I might die without Sophitz. We'll see.**

 **Btw, don't expect an update for a few days. I've got oh-so-many finals this week, but then I'm free! (Although we'll see how fast my laptop gets taken away at the end of the school year.)**

 **Love,**

 **Alder3049**


	9. What's Our Next Step?

**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! 2,429! 2 ½ K of people have seen my work! OMG you guyz, I'm soooooooooooooooooooo excited. Fangirling much? But, here's chapter 9. Also, I changed this story to Romance/Angst, cuz…Its getting kinda dark. Or at least, its going to.**

Sophie stretched out on the purple bedspread, chin resting on her hands, clicking on the lamp, which made her squint. "Guys. What're we gonna do?" They'd been sitting here all afternoon, since they'd come home from Aluvettere. She looked in each of her friends' faces, blurry spots of yellow crowding her vision, to gauge their reaction. Biana's eyes were full of fear. Dex was pale enough to be sick. Keefe was—drinking their orange juice? Out of the carton? "Keefe! Ugh, that's _gross!"_ Biana snatched the orange juice and returned it to the fridge. **(A/N: I'm assuming elves have fridges. How else would they keep food cool?)** Keefe grinned, but his face was pale enough to count freckles, and his fingers wouldn't stay still. "Foster, Foster, Foster. Look at the facts. The gnomes weren't worried about him. His door was closed. It's probable that something happened and he was put in a different room or something." Sophie sighed, bordering on tears. "Keefe, I know jokes help you deal, but tell me when you start, 'cuz _that. Wasn't. Funny."_ He looked up at her through The Hair.

"It's…it's been a long night. For all of us. What if we look at it tomorrow, maybe _not_ so sleep deprived. Will that help?"  
She looked at Biana and Dex in turn, who both nodded. "Um…OK. I guess you know where to go?"

They both nodded, and Sophie walked them to the door, hugging Keefe goodnight and giving Dex a wave, then shutting the door and sinking to the floor against it. It _had_ been a long night, and they were all tired, but she didn't feel like she could go to sleep yet, like she was almost finished a puzzle and found that the last piece was missing. She closed her eyes, rubbing her temples to block the migraine she felt coming on. _Fitz wasn't safe, was he?_ Her eyes popped open when she heard her Imparter beep, and she raised it wearily to look at Alden's face. Biana glanced at her. "Sophie, I'm going to bed, OK?" Sophie nodded, too busy listening to Alden to really care. As soon as the screen went blank, she jumped to her feet, all traces of tiredness gone, and wrenched open the door.

"KEEFE! DEX! ALDEN KNOWS WHERE FITZ IS, AND IT'S NOT GOOD!"

They sat around the table, mugs of coffee drained **(A/N: Do elves drink coffee?)** and spirits seeming to drag in the mud, watching the sunrise tinge the clouds a rainbow of pinks, oranges and purples. "So, what's our next step?" Keefe's clothes were rumpled, purple bags under his eyes looked like bruises, The Hair completely flattened, but eyes alert either from a caffeine high or a determination to find his best friend. "What did Alden say?" Sophie looked up with one bloodshot eye from her place head-down on the table, and passed him a piece of paper. Keefe read it aloud. " _Your son is nothing without his friends. How long will he last without them? Will Fitzroy Avery Vacker have a Wanderling? Or will he live to Ancient status? It's your decision. Meet us in the caves at Havenfield. We're waiting for you._

 _Signed,_

 _Brant._

Well, that's deep." Keefe chucked the paper back at Sophie. "And he expects us just to follow him around?"

Sophie nodded. "What other choice do we have?"

 _Why did I say that to Keefe?_

Sophie pulled the sweater tighter around her shoulders and shivered. It was barely five in the morning, according to Dex's Disneyland watch, but here they were, back at Havenfield, entering the Cliffside gate. "Ow." Dex stood back shaking his hand. "That hurt." Biana's brow crinkled. "You OK?" Dex nodded. "On the downside, Grady and Edaline have installed some major security systems. I've never seen anything like them. And man, they're sharp. But, on the upside—" He pushed the gate, and it creaked open. "We're in."

The four tumbled down the unkempt path, careful not to trip on weeds and rocks, down to the black-sand beaches below. Sophie backpedaled in the soft sand, trying to keep her balance, and Keefe pushed her upright. "You Ok, Foster?" "Yeah," she mumbled, blushing _Who couldn't walk down a path without falling?_ Apparently, her. "I just tripped. But, what's your plan, Captain?" Keefe grinned. "Captain. I could get used to that. Biana cut in. "Well, don't cause—" "Yeah, whatever, Princess Prettypants. As I was _saying,_ it's going to take al lot to knock these guys down. Dex, you have the Applesauce?" Dex pulled something out of his bag—a modified melder, made to shoot nearly impenetrable bonds instead of paralyzing. Keefe had cracked up when Sophie had tried to explain what "applesauce" was, ("what? They just mush it up? And you eat it? That's disgusting, Foster,") and so the weapon had been dubbed the—even Dex had to agree at its stupidity—Applesauce. APPL for short. "Ok. So, Biana's gonna use her Vanishing skills to enter the cave—go straight to the back and use these if it looks like it's going to get messy." He handed her some throwing stars that looked a lot like the ones Sandor used to use. "We know there's an opening in the top—" (perfect for campfires and sleepovers, so you could see the stars) "—but they don't, so that's where I'll come in. As for Sophie and Dex, I want you to just sort of storm the opening. Inflict. Read their minds. Use the Applesauce." Keefe had to take a moment to stop laughing. "Sophie, Enhance Dex's abilities. He might be able to find a way to make everything crumble or something. Or, of course, there's always Mesmering." Dex had acquired the talent years ago, when his own mother had triggered it during the battle Mr. Forkle had died in. "You both have Sucker Punches, right?" They nodded, and Keefe smiled. "Alright. Go team!"

Sophie crept down to the silent opening with Dex at her side, marvelling at how many times they had stormed a hideout or been captured or fought for their lives. Although, if this was normal, she would have her Cognate beside her, not Dex. And the plan she had agreed on probably wouldn't have been Keefe's.

She could hear light conversation not far from the entrance now, too quiet to pick up any words but an unmistakeable hum. Once she was flat against the cave wall, she nodded to Dex, whose grip tightened on the Applesauce.

They did literally storm the entrance, shooting Applesauce blasts and Inflicting and Enhancing and Mesmering. Sophie gripped Dex's wrist, and he shot one Neverseen member into the ocean. And another. And another. Sophie thought she _should_ feel sorry for them, but she couldn't.

They had caused too. Much. Pain.

They could see Keefe and Biana on the other side of the cave now, throwing stars and knives ad using another Applesauce—where had that come from?—until all Neverseen members were either hogtied or in the ocean below. And then Sophie collapsed, panting, in the sand. _Had they really done it?_ Biana, on the other hand, ran across the room and jumped into Dex's arms. Sophie looked away, blushing, as they kissed _Had she really forgotten that they were dating?_ Instead, she scoured the cave. Was that—no, it couldn't be. _Was it_? She ran towards the back of the cave, looking for one thing and one thing only.

"FITZ!"


	10. Life's Little Pleasures

**Ok, so I just want to say thank you to everybody who's reviewed and favorited and read this story. It's been really inspiring to have other people read my work and comment about it, and it's made me want to write more of this kind of stuff.**

 ***reads what i've just written***

 **Omg, that's so cheesy, but it's true. On to other news, I've revised the summary for this story, cuz…I dunno. I'm just not feeling 'Fitz is devastated, Biana's trying love for the first time, and dex is just along for the ride' anymore. Heres the original, and *duh* the new one will be up at the top. And it's NOT Romance/Angst, it's Romance/Hurt/Comfort. Just changed that.**

 **Original:**

 **Grady's angry, Sophie just wants to be a teenager, and who knew Keefe could dance like that? Fitz is devastated, Biana's trying love for the first time, and Dex is just along for the ride...cue the breakups, the makeups, and the kissing in the rain. Pairings may change, genres may change. Fairley A/U. WARNING MAY DIE FROM FLUFF OVERDOSE**

 **And, assuming you just read the new one at the top, you can see the difference…actually, it'll probably just go back to the original, but…we'll keep this one for now. I dunno, I was talking w/ Cress070 and she said she didn't like it as much…and now I'm starting to doubt it… :(**

 **And on to the actual part you came here for…the story!**

 **Also, BTW, writing might slow down…I'm only at school until the 29** **th** **and my parents have decided I can only update 1 chapter per week (1 day per week? it's complicated.). Altho that might just mean updating like 6 in 1 day…we'll see. Sadness!**

Sophie's breath settled into shallow gasps, but it was nothing on what was happening to Fitz.

 _He. Wasn't. Breathing._

"Fitz!" Biana had untangled herself from Dex and rushed over, not quite sure what was happening. "What's wrong with him?"

"I think…" Sophie grabbed his wrist, checking for a pulse. She gasped. "Bi, I'm not…there's no pulse."

Biana burst into tears. "No. No, no, no. Fitz!" She grabbed his shirt, shaking him back and forth, then collapsing on the sand. "No, he can't be gone…" Tears were running down Sophie's cheeks, and she wanted to look away from Fitz's immobile body, but…

"We need to take him to Elwin."

Keefe had come up from behind, face a stark white, eyeing his friend's body.

Sophie nodded and looked away when he pulled out a Pathfinder and spun the crystal.

And she closed her eyes when the light pulled her away.

Elwin's yeti tunic didn't make anything more cheery as he placed a mask over Fitz's mouth and nose, forcing him to breath again, and jolted his heart—procedures that looked much too human in Sophie's eyes. The black dots had vanished from Fitz's skin, leaving marks a bit like acne scars, and his skin wasn't sweaty and red anymore—the fever had vanished.

But he was too pale.

Too cold.

Too _dead._

Elwin removed the mask as Fitz coughed up a huge amount of water, returning it after. Sophie could barely meet his eyes as Elwin faced them.

"He's not going to make it."

Sophie wanted to scream. She wanted to scream and cry and claw at the darkness that was seeping in everywhere, taking over her memories and her heart and her lungs. She dodged past Elwin and pressed her fingers onto his temples, too hard. Everything was too hard now. Too hard, too icy, too cold, too sharp. His mind wasn't open. It was just blackness.

 _I love you, Fitz._

 _Forget about Keefe._

 _It was always you._

 _Please come back._

 _I can't live without you._

 _I'm going to die, Fitz._

 _Can't you see?_

 _I'm going to die._

 _Please._

 _Please._

 _Please._

 _Please come back, Fitz._

 _It was never Keefe._

 _It was you._

 _I love you._

She transmitted over and over, crying, hovering over his bed.

Waiting hours for a reply.

Elwin didn't want her to.

He tried to take her hands away.

 _You can't just be gone._

 _Please._

 _Please try._

She curled up next to him, trying to make him answer, forcing her conscience into his dark, empty mind.

 _Fitz._

 _Fitz._

 _Fitz._

 _I need you._

 _We need you._

 _Will you come back for us?_

Elwin had taken the mask away.

He had shut down all the machines.

Fitzroy Avery Vacker was officially dead.

But Sophie Foster wasn't willing to let go.

And as a brilliant sunrise splashed into the wide windows, she heard what she needed to hear.

 _I'm back._

She had two boys who loved her.

Four best friends.

Two loving parents.

How could she ever just have seen them as

Life's

Little

Pleasures?

 **That's right, it is officially**

 **The.**

 **End.**

 **Well, not really.**

 **Expect a sequel.**

 **That's right.**

 **A SEQUEL.**

 **sooooooooooooooooooooo excited!**

 **Trying to come up with names.**

 **Brain doesn't want to.**

 **Brain wants to cry about how Fitz is**

 **Almost.**

 **Dead.**

 **Why why why do I do this to myself?**

 **NEW STORY:**

 **Stairs That Lead to Nowhere**

 **By (duh) Alder3049**

 **Actually, I'll use the old summary from this one for that one.**

 **yay!**

 **Problem solved!**

 **Is that why teachers say I'm a problem solver?**

 **Well, lately not so much.**

 **Looooooootssss of drama.**

 **Not going to expand.**

 **Drama makes my brain hurt.**

 **New story up:**

 **Friday/Sunday.**

 **Not sure yet.**

 **We'll see how it goes.**

 **Love,**

 **Alder3094**

 **Lol.**

 **3049.**


End file.
